Review: Honda Activa 125 (Pearl Amazing White)

This is a discussion on Review: Honda Activa 125 (Pearl Amazing White) within Motorbikes, part of the BHP India category; Originally Posted by nishsingh
I did my registration at RTO Kondapur. My Honda dealer told me that the broker will ...

Congratulations anurag. That's an exhaustive review and you have covered almost every aspect of this two wheeler. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it. We used to own the older version of the Activa (similar to the one you've posted for comparison in grey color) which clocked 49k Kms without any trouble. Except for the tyre change, did NOT had any issues. Just when we were thinking to keep it for few more years, we encountered engine problems. Upon checking with authorized Honda Service Engineers, we were told that even if the engine issues were fixed they could NOT guarantee trouble-free experience for more than an year. Hence had to part ways with the workhorse.

Congratulations once again. Now eagerly waiting for the Thunderbird review

Congratulations on the new scooter Anurag! Wish you many more happy miles with it.

With regards to front suspension, how good is it compared to the trailing link suspension on the 3G? We had the older first gen activa in the family and the suspension after 25000kms on it was unbearable. Same with the Dio as well. It would fatigue you out very quick on city rides of more than 15-20kms on pot holed roads. After switching to Yamaha RayZ, the inter city rides are not as tiring. Also tipping the scales at 110 kilos, the Activa125 is quite a bulky scooter. Guess it would be challenging for petite ladies to handle in the thick city traffic owing to the extra weight and width.

I blatantly deleted all these extras and just asked for two accessories i.e. Side stand and Ladies foot rest. Thatís it! Which got the OTR coming down to ₹68,000 (rounded off).

Firstly, great review and congratulations on the purchase.

Secondly, I want to be absolutely sure about this: Is the side stand an accessory that needs to be paid for? I'm old school and I still have a HH Splendor from 1998, so I'm not in sync with the 2 wheeler world for some time. I plan to purchase an Activa sometime this year and want to be sure.

At the moment I am in a very similar situation as yours. Sold of my Karizma ZMA due to low running and now looking to buy a Scooter to beat Bangalore traffic.

I have boiled down to 2 choices. TVS Jupiter and Hero Maestro Edge. Still wondering what to do. Will decide in a day or 2 and book. The Maestro definitely kills he Jupiter with features however I am skeptical about long term reliability and performance.

At the moment I am in a very similar situation as yours. Sold of my Karizma ZMA due to low running and now looking to buy a Scooter to beat Bangalore traffic.

I have boiled down to 2 choices. TVS Jupiter and Hero Maestro Edge. Still wondering what to do. Will decide in a day or 2 and book. The Maestro definitely kills he Jupiter with features however I am skeptical about long term reliability and performance.

The only issue faced is that I am not very confident taking it over 10 kms.

I am telling you, once you are used to the comfort and convinience factor associated with these scooters, going back to geared vehicles is slightly difficult especially in city stop-go traffic.

Don't hesitate, just take her out a couple of times and you'll like it.

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Originally Posted by Keynote

Congratulations anurag.

Congratulations once again. Now eagerly waiting for the Thunderbird review

Thanks buddy. The Thunderbird is long time far away.

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Originally Posted by abhinav.s

With regards to front suspension, how good is it compared to the trailing link suspension on the 3G?

I like the suspension on the 125. It is direct and no vague movements of the suspension upon braking. It responds well to steering inputs plus all undulations are soaked up well just that one needs to take care of the air pressures maintained.

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Originally Posted by danlalan

Really nice detailed review. I can see the effort you put into it.

Thanks buddy. Suzuki as a company never excited me except for Maruti Suzuki. So putting my money on it was not possible.

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Originally Posted by danlalan

PS: If your tall, Do rip open the seat and add a couple of inches of dunlop to the seat. It helps a lot in terms of comfort. Ive done it and iam really happy with it.

Could you explain this in detail and with pictures if possible. Thanks in advance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jensjoseph

Is the side stand an accessory that needs to be paid for?

Thank you Sir.

Yes the Side stand is an accessory. Costs Rs 300.

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Originally Posted by Altocumulus

Congrats Anurag !!

At the moment I am in a very similar situation as yours. Sold of my Karizma ZMA due to low running and now looking to buy a Scooter to beat Bangalore traffic.

Thank you Sir. Test ride both and then decide. Don't just go blindly for the features.

If it is between Jupiter and Maestro, I'll say Jupiter is a better bet.

Congrats on your ride. Our 125 is over 1.5 years old and has done just around 10 kms or so. It was one of the first on the roads to be frank. The only niggle I have is a starting trouble every morning. Reporting it to the service center during each and every service has not helped. Even changing service centers has not helped.

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Originally Posted by a4anurag

[*]Less under seat storage (Canít take a full face helmet)[*]Honda's accessories list and atrocious pricing. Just looting the customers.[/list]

Strange on the storage part. I put a full face vega in it and it closes without any fuss. Infact there is space left around to put in miscellaneous stuff as well.

Agree on the accessories part, not to mention, to a certain extent ill fitting too. I always feel vehicles (except motorcycles) are incomplete without a proper mud flap in the mud guards but the mud flat that Honda has is very ill fitting and actually extends out on both sides of the mud guard

Quote:

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Reason for my joy fading off: I was asked to look ONLY at a scooter and NOT a Bike again. I was . All my joy lost in a second post his decision of getting a scooter ONLY.
So I somehow convinced myself and started looking at Scooter segment... This is how she comes home FINALLY!

I too had to sell off my pre worshiped Apache RTR FI 160 (dual disc) to get in the 125 because to be frank, with the car at home and a scooter as well, the need for a bike was not felt. Adding to that I was not really keen on paying the insurance for it while it just gathers dust as someone could put it to some good use. With a heavy heart I sold it off but the silver lining is that I sold it pretty much at the same price that I brought it for that too after 5 years and 30k kms on top of what the earlier owner had used it for (1.5 years and 13k kms).

I still miss it though I get to see it too and it was brought by a guy in my office who is an enthusiast for the apache. So its still in great condition. I too plan to get a RE sometime, most likely a pre worshiped one again

Quote:

Originally Posted by a4anurag

When the word 'Scooter' comes into my mind, Honda Activa is what echoes.

The Activa-i & 3G were rejected straightaway for the trailing arm suspension setup. I just donít like that setup whatever it is.

I share similar feeling here except, coming from a motorbike (having sold my apache) I wanted something in the scooter which wasnt too much of a downgrade. Swish and Access were the best contenders because at that point in time as the 125 wasnt launched. Almost finalized the access which was coming to around 56k on road but then saw a review (probably the first one) of the 125 on one of the portals and immediately wanted to check it out. We already have the first gen activa and there was no question on its reliability or anything else. Just that I was not at all a fan of the trailing arm suspension which drove me towards the access/swish twins.

I also wanted to have a 125cc engine atleast and apart from these two rodeo and vespa were the other options. Rodeo was ruled out for obvious reasons and vespa was too much money for the scooter and I was not willing to pay that.

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Originally Posted by a4anurag

The other point I felt was the Activa-i felt to basic and small in size (read skinny) to look at so that too wasnít preferred too now leaving me with the only choice of Activa 125.

Dilemma on Activa 125 Variant

I echo similar feelings as well.

On the variant, we too went ahead with the same combination as the disc one had a waiting of 8 months

Quote:

Originally Posted by a4anurag

THE "ACTUAL DELIVERY"

After the T/R number is stuck on the vehicle, the security guard hands me over the keys and says congratulations on the delivery. I am like .

During the final delivery moment, no SA who was sticking around me during the booking time or anyone from dealership is present there. No photographs or key hand-over ceremony. Nothing! Just take the keys from the security and leave. Delivery is done! This is how they feel I guess.

When I went to check the 125 as a potential customer I was absolutely unattended in around 3 different honda showroom where the sales reps were absolutely not bothered with a customer just standing there and gawking at their faces. In the 4th one I was promptly attended even though there was heavy rush there and I mentally decided to book the vehicle from there only. The cherry on the icing was that, the dealer told me I could get a vehicle latest within a week max depending on the colour I chose. So further affirmed my decision to book there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by a4anurag

[list][*]Looks & Styling;[*]Riding Experience;

Personally I feel honda has not done much to distinguish this from the regular activa apart from the front chrome strip and the rear grab rails. Its looks a mix and match of the aviator and the previous activa. FOr one, I feel Honda could have easily redesigned the tail lamps something similar to what the current hero maestro has. Even the headlights could have been a bit different. Even the badge is a 2D sticker and not the 3D ones we see now.

The plastics seem to be of poor quality and mine has started to show its age in the 1.5 years itself turning slightly whitish. Even our old activa had a similar problem. Good to know that you are looking at polishing it regularly and I too would strongly suggest that

As for the back ache, always sit upright and you will never feel it. If you slouch then you are in for trouble. Also sitting upright makes you realize that the seating position is slightly higher than the previous gen activa and its comeptitors too

The instrument cluster does look really smart and thats probably the only thing I would give to honda apart from the gem of an engine

I generally like to drive it a bit fast and it never complains even above 65. On relatively free roads I generally hover around 90 though thats pretty much what it has to offer and wont really go much above it.

All in all I feel its a worthy purchase and there are no regrets as such

Thank you Sir. Test ride both and then decide. Don't just go blindly for the features.

If it is between Jupiter and Maestro, I'll say Jupiter is a better bet.

Booked a Jupiter today in white. Delivery tomorrow.

Took a test ride and liked it. The Hero guys were very ignorant. Also in maybe most if not all the reviews Jupiter engine was termed better than the Maestro Edge. Suzuki Access said they will take 2-3 weeks to deliver. Honda even more for the 125.